Home Loan Philippines Requirements 2026: What Every Bank Asks For (Full Checklist)

Home Loan Philippines Requirements 2026: The Complete Checklist Every Borrower Needs

Applying for a home loan in the Philippines can feel overwhelming — especially when every bank seems to have a slightly different list of requirements. Miss one document, and your application stalls for weeks. Submit the wrong version of a form, and you're back to square one.

This guide cuts through the confusion. Whether you're buying your first home, refinancing an existing loan, or taking out an equity loan, here is the most comprehensive, up-to-date checklist of home loan requirements across Philippine banks in 2026 — including BDO, BPI, Metrobank, Security Bank, RCBC, UnionBank, PNB, Chinabank, PSBank, EastWest Bank, and Pag-IBIG (HDMF).

Who Qualifies for a Home Loan in the Philippines?

Before gathering documents, you need to confirm you meet the basic eligibility criteria that virtually every lender requires:

• Age: At least 21 years old at the time of application, and no older than 65-70 years old at loan maturity (varies by bank)
• Citizenship: Filipino citizens; some banks also accept foreign nationals married to Filipino citizens
• Employment/Income: Employed for at least two years (locally or overseas), self-employed for at least two years, or with a stable source of income
• Credit standing: No unsettled past-due accounts or negative credit history with any bank or lending institution
• Loan amount: Typically a minimum of 500,000 and a maximum that depends on the appraised value of the property (usually 70-80% of appraised value)

The Universal Documents: What Every Bank Requires

Regardless of which bank you apply with, these documents form the foundation of every home loan application in the Philippines.

1. Loan Application Form

Each bank has its own proprietary form, but all of them ask for the same core information: personal details, employment history, the property you're purchasing or refinancing, and the loan amount you're requesting. Download or collect the form directly from the bank's website or branch. Some banks — including BPI and Security Bank — now accept digital submissions through their online portals.

2. Valid Government-Issued IDs

You will need at least two valid IDs. Acceptable IDs include:

• Philippine Passport
• SSS or GSIS ID
• Driver's License
• Unified Multi-Purpose ID (UMID)
• PhilHealth ID
• Voter's ID or Voter's Certification
• National ID (PhilSys)
• PRC ID (for licensed professionals)

Make sure the name on your IDs matches your other documents exactly. Discrepancies — even minor ones like a missing middle initial — can cause delays.

3. Proof of Income

This is where requirements diverge most significantly depending on your employment status.

For Locally Employed Applicants

• Latest one-month payslip (some banks require three months)
• Certificate of Employment (COE) with compensation — must be dated within the last 30-90 days
• Income Tax Return (ITR) — BIR Form 2316 or Form 1700 for the last one to two years
• Latest bank statements for the past three to six months

For Self-Employed Applicants

• DTI Registration or SEC Registration Certificate (for corporations)
• Business Permit or Mayor's Permit for the current year
• Audited Financial Statements (AFS) for the past two to three years, stamped by the BIR
• ITR for the past two to three years, BIR Form 1701 or 1702
• Latest six months of bank statements for both personal and business accounts
• List of trade references or major clients (required by some banks)

For Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)

• Employment contract or POEA-verified contract
• Certificate of Employment issued by employer abroad
• Proof of remittance — latest three to six months
• Consularized or apostilled documents if notarized abroad
• Latest six months of bank statements
• OFW applicants often need a Special Power of Attorney (SPA) if they cannot be present for signing

Property Documents

The property itself must be thoroughly documented. These requirements apply whether you're buying, building, or refinancing.

For Purchase Transactions

• Contract to Sell (CTS) or Reservation Agreement from the developer or seller
• Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) or Condominium Certificate of Title (CCT) — obtained from the Registry of Deeds
• Tax Declaration of the property (land and improvement) — latest copy from the Assessor's Office
• Latest Real Property Tax (RPT) receipt — proof that taxes are paid up to date
• Location map and vicinity map of the property
• Floor plan or lot plan (for house and lot purchases)

For Refinancing Transactions

If you're refinancing an existing home loan — for example, refinancing your housing loan to a bank with a lower rate — you'll need all of the above, plus:

• Statement of Account (SOA) from your current lender showing outstanding balance
• Original Owner's Duplicate Copy of the TCT or CCT (currently held by your existing lender)
• Loan amortization schedule from your current bank
• Proof of no arrears or certification that your account is current

For Pag-IBIG Loan Holders

Members with existing Pag-IBIG housing loans who wish to transfer to a private bank have a slightly different set of requirements. You'll need a Pag-IBIG clearance and a Statement of Account from HDMF. Read our full guide on refinancing your Pag-IBIG home loan to a private bank to understand the process in detail.

Collateral and Appraisal Requirements

Philippine banks do not lend on the purchase price alone — they lend based on the appraised value of the property, typically up to 70% to 80% of that value. The bank will assign an accredited appraiser to inspect and value the property. You generally cannot choose your own appraiser.

For a property with an appraised value of 5,000,000, for example, most banks will lend a maximum of 3,500,000 to 4,000,000. You are expected to cover the remainder as a down payment or equity contribution.

Properties eligible as collateral typically include: residential house and lot, condominium units (must be within an accredited building), vacant lots (with restrictions), and townhouses. Raw land or properties with unresolved title issues are generally ineligible.

Additional Requirements by Bank

While the documents above cover the majority of what you'll need, some banks have additional requirements:

• BDO: Requires a signed Disclosure Statement and a Customer Information Sheet
• BPI: May require a certified copy of your marriage certificate (if applicable) and birth certificates for co-borrowers
• Metrobank: Requires a notarized SPA if you have a co-borrower who cannot be physically present
• Security Bank: Has a streamlined digital application and accepts e-copies of most documents at the pre-qualification stage
• RCBC: Requires a signed Promissory Note template at loan offer stage
• Pag-IBIG / HDMF: Requires proof of active Pag-IBIG membership and at least 24 monthly contributions

For Co-Borrowers

Many applicants add a co-borrower (typically a spouse or parent) to strengthen their application. Co-borrowers must submit their own complete set of income documents, valid IDs, and a signed application form. The co-borrower's income is added to the primary borrower's, which can significantly increase the loan amount you qualify for.

Note: Most banks require the spouse of a married applicant to automatically be a co-borrower, even if their income is not being used for qualification purposes.

Understanding Loan-to-Value Ratio and How It Affects Your Requirements

Your Loan-to-Value (LTV) ratio — the percentage of the property value you're borrowing — affects your documentation requirements in one key way: properties with higher LTV ratios (above 70%) typically require mortgage redemption insurance (MRI) and fire insurance as a condition of the loan. Premiums for these are usually rolled into your monthly amortization.

Common Reasons Home Loan Applications Are Rejected

Knowing what disqualifies you is just as important as knowing what's required. The most common reasons for rejection in the Philippines include:

• Negative credit history or unpaid loans with any bank (easily checked via the Credit Information Corporation)
• Insufficient verifiable income — your gross monthly income should typically be at least three times your monthly amortization
• Property title with encumbrances, liens, or unresolved annotations
• Incomplete or inconsistent documents (e.g., name discrepancies between IDs and title)
• Property located in a flood-prone area or outside the bank's lending zone
• Applicant age exceeds bank's maximum age at loan maturity

Tips for a Smooth Application

• Prepare certified true copies of all documents in advance — most government offices have backlogs, so request these early
• Keep six months of bank statements clean and regular — avoid large unexplained cash deposits in the months before applying
• Settle any outstanding credit card balances or personal loans to improve your debt-service ratio
• Get pre-qualified before committing to a property — many banks offer free pre-qualification assessments
• Compare rates from multiple banks simultaneously rather than applying one at a time

If you're not sure which bank to approach first, working with a mortgage broker can save you significant time. Nook, for example, submits your profile to multiple Philippine banks at once and matches you with the lender most likely to approve you at the best available rate — currently as low as 5.99% p.a. — at no cost to you.